Police station falls to NPA

ZAMBOANGA CITY: Dozens of communist rebels raided a police station early Thursday and shot dead one officer in the southern Philippine province of Bukidnon, officials said.

Officials said three other people were wounded in the New People’s Army raid on Kibawe town’s police headquarters. The local mayor said the rebels, numbering several dozens, carted various weapons from the police headquarters.

The raiders who arrived in vans caught policemen by surprise and were immediately disarmed. Police earlier warned all its commanders in the province to stay on high alert because of intelligence report of an impending raid by rebels.

The NPA did not give any statement about the raid, but it previously warned of fresh offensive in the restive region of Mindanao.